Danish author Glenn Ringtved and I began the translation of “Cry, Heart, But Never Break” in 2011, following Glenn’s first visit to the US with his family—a trip that took them from New York to Los Angeles to Las Vegas to Northern California and back to NYC.

Now, following the publication of the US English translation of “Cry, Heart…” and the awarding of the ALA’s prestigious Mildred L. Batchelder Award (for an outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States), Glenn is back. A week in NYC included visits to Central Park (and to the bench where he and I met), museums, galleries, and visits with Enchanted Lion publisher Claudia Bedrick. “Now I’m off for three weeks in the South, starting with New Orleans,” said Glenn. “Just me and a car, looking for great music. Memphis, Nashville, wherever.”

Here’s to a great adventure on some of America’s best Blue Highways for this intrepid Viking explorer.